Pyrenex & Alexis Mabille: Braving the Elements

We ♥ New York, but not its winters: they're icy, cold and just plain l-o-n-g. So although it's only October, and still relatively mild, we're already planning ahead–which is why this jacket caught our eye. It's part of a capsule collection designed by Alexis Mabille for Pyrenex, a 150-year-old French company specializing in high-quality goose down. If this coat's details are any indication, the partnership–Pyrenex x Alexis Mabille–is just about perfect. (We especially like the quilting, the removable hood, the many pockets and the two-way zipper.) Buy it online via Studio Homme and prepare to laugh at Mother Nature.

Azzedine Alaïa: Fashion's Rebel With a Cause

Fashion's faithful may all worship in different temples–but most make a pilgrimage, sooner or later, to the altar of Azzedine Alaïa. In the larger context of "designer fashion," Alaïa is an anomaly: he ignores trends, turns away retailers who rub him the wrong way and shows (and ships) collections according to his own idiosyncratic schedule. Which at least partially explains why, on Sunday, October 10–several days after most of the fashion flock had left Paris–Alaïa sent his models down his runway for the benefit of a favored few.

Women worship Azzedine Alaïa because Alaïa worships women–it's that simple. Few designers understand a woman's curves better than this nimble Tunisian, which has kept him in demand for 30 years. What did Stephanie Seymour wear to marry Peter Brant in 1995? A clingy white Alaïa gown literally sewn onto her by the designer. What did Naomi Campbell don for her recent court appearance in The Hague? A prim-yet-sexy cream Alaïa dress with a matching cardigan. And what have supermodels, socialites and other beauties been clamoring for since 1980? Alaïa, Alaïa and more Alaïa.

Sunday's show offered classics (like the slinky white column, above left), but some twists, too–namely, ballerina-like silhouettes pairing fitted tops with short, full skirts (imagine Dégas' Little Dancer as Daria and you'll have the idea). Alaïa is no stranger to full skirts, but this was a slight departure–the flare he gives to a skirt has typically sprung from the hip rather than this season's waist. It's a great look, but you've got to have the figure–and, more importantly, the legs–to carry it off. Fashion's gods are many things, but they're not forgiving.

At Versace Home, Bigger & Bolder is Better

Over the years, the Versace Home collection has been hit-or-miss: for every spectacular silk sheet set or porcelain place setting, there's been a handful of less-than-stellar offerings. Lately, however, everything from the men's and women's clothing collections to the brand's image campaigns has been wrestled back into shape. A new, higher standard seems to be the order of the day.

Case in point: Versace Home is now collaborating with the world-famous Venini, an 85-year-old Murano glass making firm, to produce limited-edition bowls and vases. Like many Versace designs, they're not for everyone, but we like them a lot. For one thing, they resonate like original notes from the '80s, playing perfectly into that decade's current revival. They're also big, bold and brash enough to sweep snobbery aside. Sometimes, good taste is just a matter of muscle.